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SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY - MANIFESTO 2015
A FAIRER SOCIETY
An economy that works for the many
We will firmly oppose, and seek to reverse, the growing
inequality in UK society – inequality that acts as a
dampener on growth and limits opportunity for people
in communities across the country. That is why we must
create a fair wage economy, with higher wages for
those on low and middle earnings translating into
increased revenues for the Exchequer. Underpinning this
is our belief that everyone should have the opportunity
of a good life in return for their effort and hard work.
Increasing the minimum wage and expanding the
living wage will help deliver both a strong economy
and a fairer society. Instead of the current, failed
Westminster approach, which is based on the false belief
that the fruits of economic growth ‘trickle down’, we
believe that increasing the incomes of those lower down
the income scale will deliver a more direct benefit for
our economy, as well as improving quality of life for
hard-pressed households.
This alternative approach sees all our citizens as valued
contributors to society, with the impact of higher
disposable incomes felt most significantly in local
economies and our thousands of small and medium
sized businesses, as well as in higher revenues.
We also propose different spending and taxation
priorities. At a time when thousands of our citizens are
forced to use food banks, there can be no doubt that
spending billions on a new generation of nuclear
weapons is unjustifiable. A vote for the SNP is a vote to
halt progress on Trident renewal, delivering a saving of
£100 billion over the next 35 years.
Alongside this, we will back proposals to return the top
rate of income tax in the UK to 50p. We support a levy
on tobacco firms and would also support proposals for
a specific tax on properties valued at over £2 million,
increases to the bank levy, a banker’s bonus tax and
a review of the pension tax relief available to the
wealthiest. We would also call on the UK government
to move forward cautiously with plans to increase the
higher rate threshold to £50,000, ensuring first that tax
revenues are sufficiently buoyant.
We will look to ensure the public interest is fully
protected in any future disposal of RBS and Lloyds
shares, including decisions on how any windfall
revenues should be used.
A tax system that works better
It’s clear that action needs to be taken to ensure
we have a tax system that is fit for the 21st century.
We will back measures to tackle tax avoidance,
including early legislation to address tax dodging
and an increase in staff resources at HMRC.
We will put forward measures to strengthen antiavoidance
law across the UK to ensure it is as
strong as new Scottish legislation.
We will also support a review of controlled foreign
companies exemptions and favour a rolling review
of tax reliefs as part of an ongoing programme of
simplification of the tax system.
We support calls for a global fair tax summit to
agree international measures to tackle tax abuses.